DeAPlaneta Entertainment, a leading production and distribution global company, and French powerhouse Newen Connect, a subsidiary of the TF1 Group and of Newen Studios, one of the leading production and distribution businesses in Europe, are pleased to announce they have signed a deal for the acquisition by DeAPlaneta Entertainment of fantasy/adventure children’s animated series Azuro & The Dragon Squad.

Thanks to this deal, DeAPlaneta Entertainment has become one of the main International Distributors and Licensors of Azuro & The Dragon Squad, a strong IP based on the best-selling, 16-title Azuro book series.

Azuro & The Dragon Squad (52x11’) is an adventure rescue animated series for children (3-6) which tells the story of Azuro, Oria, and Vermilion, three brave, colorful and heroic dragon friends who, in order to help all creatures in need, create the Dragon Rescue Squad, a unique unit of rescuers specialized in helping fantastic creatures of all kinds.

The series, which is produced by French animation studio and production company La Chouette Compagnie (Droners), and commissioned by French broadcaster TF1, was first released in France at the end of 2023 with great success.

Azuro & The Dragon Squad is based on the best-selling 16-title Azuro book series, created by Laurent Souillé, Olivier Souillé and Jérémie Fleury and published in France by Editions Auzou, which is also the right-owner. Azuro is a strong IP worldwide, with 600.000 books sold in France and more than 130.000 books sold in many other territories, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Canada, China or Argentina.

Carlos Biern, Content and Distribution Director at DeAPlaneta Kids & Family stated: “We are honored to partner with Newen Connect, a leading European media company, to work together to promote such a powerful and fast-growing international IP as Azuro. The quality of its animation and the values expressed in its stories, which promote teamwork, respect for difference, curiosity and care for the environment, will surely make Azuro & The Dragon Squad a favorite among children around the world.”

Rodolphe Buet, CEO of Newen Connect, declared: “We are delighted about this new partnership with one of the European leading animation distribution companies. Partnering with DeAPlaneta Entertainment marks a significant step forward in Newen Connect’s animation strategy. DeAPlaneta Entertainment's distribution expertise on ready made and Licensing and merchandising on programs such as Ladybug Miraculous is a fantastic opportunity to bring Azuro to a new step and build up the franchise we have in mind.”

Mariam Hachmi, Producer and CEO of La Chouette Compagnie, said: "We are delighted to welcome DeAPlaneta Entertainment to the Azuro brigade! This deal is important for brand exposure, and we can't wait to see our heroes and their beautiful values conquer new audiences. A big thank you to Newen Connect for making this deal happen."